Safe Haven
by uscfbfan
Summary: B/A/J/E/Em were all best friends until one chance encounter during spring break changed everything for one person in this group.  "I lost my chance with him, Alice.  He's back with Rosalie." B/Em, A/J, E/Angela mentions of Em/R Lang/Lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**Safe Haven**

**BPOV**

I wiped the bar top, staring out at the regulars at the Swans. We had just reopened after being closed for six months. I was going to sell Swans, but at the last minute, I just couldn't. It wasn't what Pops would have wanted, and I just couldn't part with this place. It held so many memories for me, and I know that that was true for many of the people in town as well. I couldn't sell, I just couldn't. So I packed up my tiny apartment in Seattle and moved Emerson and I back to a town I swore I would never set foot in again. It took months of cleaning and planning, but Swans finally opened back up, and was actually bringing in some decent business.

I looked over at the men who were lining the bar. There were some old faces like Mike Newton Sr. and Waylin - one of my dad's fishing buddies - but there were some new faces as well. Apparently when the Seattle Seahawks moved closer to Forks, it revived the small, dying logging town. The football players were snatching up land all throughout Forks, which lay about an hour from Seattle and thirty minutes from their newly built stadium.

It was a welcome revival for the town. I bet Esme Cullen was up to her eyeballs with clients now. I heard the Cullen clan was coming back after leaving a while back. Carlisle had gotten an opportunity to go to England for two years to teach at Oxford, and couldn't turn it down. His sabbatical was up now, and they were due to return at any minute.

Esme was taking back over her architectural company, Cullen Designs . . . which had been getting clients left and right now with the upturn of the economy here in Forks. She needed to resume being the face for the company, not Aria Banner, who was capable, she just wasn't Esme Cullen.

My stomach dropped thinking about the matriarch of the Cullen. I tried so hard not to think of them over the past two years, but every so often, the thought of them flitted across my mind.

"Bella?" A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts. A voice from the past.

"Bella . . . Bella Swan?"

I looked over and saw Alice Brandon walking in through the bar. She waved at me enthusiastically, causing me to smile. I hadn't seen her in three years since Emmett got drafted to play pro.

"Alice!"

I left the sanctity from behind the bar and greeted my best friend from high school. We had gone to separate colleges, but had always come back to Forks for the school breaks. Alice, in true Alice Brandon fashion, launched herself at me.

"Alice Brandon, I thought you were going to Paris and to make a big name for yourself in fashion. What are you doing back in Forks?"

"Plans didn't exactly go the way I thought they would go," she replied. She wiggled her left hand in front of me and I saw the sparkle of an engagement ring on her finger.

"Congratulations." I told her. Alice was truly an awesome person and she deserved all the best.

"Jasper and I are getting married in six months."

"Jasper as in Jasper Cullen . . . as in one of the Cullen Triplets?"

"I haven't heard them called that in the longest time, but yes, the one and only."

"But you two couldn't stand each other in high school," I told her puzzled. They were always going at it like cats and dogs.

"A rouse," she explained. "Typical for us. We saw each other last summer and just could keep our hands off each other. It's like it was always meant to be. Jazz is an architect with Esme now, and I came to see if Pops would hire me."

"My grandfather died about nine months ago." My voiced cracked thinking of Phillip Swan, the original proprietor of Swans. "Charlie and I originally closed Swans and we were going to sell it, but when push came to shove, I couldn't do it. I couldn't let everything that Pops worked for just vanish. So, I packed up everything and ended up running Swans. Not exactly on how I planned on using my degree in psychology, but everything happens for a reason."

"I heard you guys just reopened . . ."

"Yeah, and I need a bar manager and front end manager." I looked over at Angela, who was shy and timid in high school, but now, she was one of the best bartenders that I have seen. "Ange, watch the bar while I do an interview."

"No prob boss." Ange smiled as she wiped down the bar top. So far it was just Angela, Tyler, and myself, but we were getting busy and needed more staff pronto.

She followed me into the office, which was truly a mess right now. I was the accountant, bar manager, general manager, etc. I bit off more than I could chew, but hopefully that would soon change. Swan's was bringing in more money, meaning I could hire more staff, and that is what I would do. I wanted and needed to spend more time with my son.

I smiled thinking about Emerson, he is all sunshine and pure boy.

Alice stopped, staring at the pictures on the bookshelf. I heard her take in a deep breath.

"No!"

_Shit, fuck, damnit!_ She saw the picture of Emerson and me at the park.

"Is this why you suddenly dropped out of our lives three years ago?" Her voice was soft, but demanding. "I tried calling you, emailing you, but you just disappeared. I thought you just got really busy with grad school, and made new friends, but I never imagined . . ."

"Alice . . ."

"You didn't have to hide from me."

I took in a deep breath. "Alice . . ."

"Oh my God . . ."

I hung my head. "I was young and stupid. Scared. Emerson is everything to me. I was busy with grad school, and being pregnant the first year. After that I dropped down to part-time and extended my program of study for a year so I could spend more time with him. It wasn't easy Alice."

"His name is Emerson?"

"Emerson Swan . . ."

"Is Jasper his father?"

"No, Alice, I promise you, Emerson isn't Jasper's."

She let out a breath she had been holding, and truthfully, I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't have wanted to hear about my fiancé with another woman. Jasper and I had never hooked up, but flirted shamelessly with each other throughout the years. That would stop now for out of respect for their impending marriage.

Besides, I didn't want to add more gossip to the rumor mill. One was enough, thank you very much.

"He looks so much like the Cullen boys with the curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Surely the townspeople are gossiping."

"Like you wouldn't believe," I sighed. "I haven't fueled any of the rumors. But yeah, Emerson is a Cullen." I finally confirmed after a year of speculation. When Emerson was first born, I could bring him here to see Dad and Pops in his bald headed glory, but when he turned a year old, he started looking more and more like his father every day. I couldn't hide it anymore.

"God Bella." She plopped down in her seat. I was trying to formulate something to say to her, to ask her not to tell her future in-laws until I had the chance to figure out something to tell them.

The door opened with the sound of my giggling almost two-year old behind it.

"Mommy!"

I braced myself just in time to catch Emerson, and swing him around. I kissed his chubby cheeks and brushed his curly blonde hair out of his deep blue eyes. He had a gigantic grin on his face covered in a blue, gooey substance. _Damn it Jake!_

I took a peek at Alice in my periphery, trying to see if she had put together all the pieces yet. I could tell her mind was spinning with possibilities.

"Mommy, Unca Jake and me swinging."

I smiled. "Uncle Jake took you to the park?"

"Yep, we went swinging!"

I rifled through my diaper bag and searched out a wet wipe. There was no way I was going to let my toddler run around with a sticky blue face.

Loud mouth Mallory would have started a rumor that I was an unfit mother, I wasn't having that.

I wiped at his face, and he fought me every step of the way.

"Yeah, he had a blast," Jake supplied. "The blue stuff is the cotton candy I got from one of the venders." Jake placed the diaper bag down and looked over at Alice. "Hey Alice. I heard you were back from NYU. Welcome back."

"Hey Jake, could you take Emerson back to my dad's? I need to finish up here with Alice and then run the numbers again."

"Sure Bella, no problema Loca."

"Emerson, be good for Grandpa and Jake. Bedtime is seven o'clock and you can have two books tonight."

"Tay Mommy."

I kissed him again and handed him back to Jake.

"Thanks Jake. I appreciate everything that you did, but now you get to handle a two-year old right before bedtime hyped on sugar." I laughed.

"No fair Bella!"

"Life isn't fair Jakey! I specifically told you no sugar this close to bedtime Jake, and you did it anyway."

Jake pouted and so did Emerson, looking a lot like Emmett right at that moment.

I hugged my guys and walked with him out to strap my baby in. Jake sighed behind me, and stopped my motions for a minute.

"Are you ready for this?" Jake asked softly.

"Ready for all of Forks to find out the truth of Emerson's paternity? I mean, it really was a 1 in 3 shot . . ."

"Yeah, you can look at the boy and know that he is a Cullen." Jake pulled me into a bear hug and smoothed the hair out of my face. "It will be okay. Just give them time to adjust. They will love Emerson as much as we do. It could be a good thing Bella."

I watched them pull away and walked back into the bar. Angela cocked her head to the side. "Everything okay out here?"

"Sure Boss," Angela replied, winking. I walked back into the office and could see Alice texting on her phone. I started to panic, but realized quickly that I couldn't hide this anymore. The truth was going to come out.

I sat down next to Alice and waited for her to explode. I could tell that the wheels were still turning in her head.

"Bella, I have to tell Jasper. He is going to be my husband, I can't keep that from him. That child is his nephew . . ."

I nodded. "I understand, and I would have never asked you to keep this from Jasper. Just give me a day. I feel like I should be the one to tell people. People have been speculating about Emerson now for the past month since I have been back. I should be the one to tell Esme and Carlisle . . ."

"They just flew in and are on their way here, to pick me up from the interview. The sooner you do it, the better. You don't want them finding out from loud mouth Mallory do you?"

We both snickered, knowing that she was right. Lauren Mallory's mother had the biggest mouth ever and was always ready to spread gossip at the drop of a hat.

That woman hated me since she had been my father's love interest in high school.

Really Lady, Dad screwed Mom, had me, end of story.

I sat down, scrubbing my hands over my face. "How do you tell them something this important? I didn't mean to hide Emerson from them, it just kind of happened."

"How Bella?"

I grabbed a picture of the five of us, taken the last night we were all together. We were standing on the cliffs of La Push. Edward had just finished his second year of med school and had a three week long break. Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and I were all on break, getting ready to start the rest of our lives.

"I remember this. That was the last time I saw you."

"Emmett had just gone pro," I said softly.

XXXXXXXXXXX

_We were standing at the edge of the cliffs staring at the water below us. I had done this before with the boys from the Rez, only we jumped from much lower. Standing higher up on the cliffs made my nerves go haywire, only I wasn't going to let them know it._

_Me and my stupid mouth, I shouldn't have bragged about doing this. _

_I looked over the edge again, staring at the swirling waves. This definitely wasn't a good idea._

"_Come on Bells, show us how to do this!" Emmett hollered, grabbing a beer from the cooler._

_Edward looked out at the water, seeing the swirls of the angry current below. "I don't think this is a good idea . . ."_

_Thank God, there was a voice of reason._

"_Yeah," a whiney voice said. Tanya. "I agree with Eddie. And Emmett, I don't think you should do it either. I know Rosalie wouldn't allow you to do it. . ."_

_Emmett shook his head. "Fuck. I listened for too long to that bitch. We broke up yesterday, so I don't give a fuck what she would want me to do."_

_I gasped. Rosalie and Emmett had been together since high school, hell she was a Chicago Bear's cheerleader now as well._

_Jasper just shook his head. "Whatever, you guys will be back together in no time."_

"_I don't think so Bro."_

_I looked over at Emmett, who was currently stripping out of his shirt, tossing it over to me. I caught it, admiring Emmett's body. The Cullen Triplets were the most sought after men in Forks. Each one had devastatingly good looks, and even though they were triplets, they looked nothing alike._

_Edward favored his mother, with the dark blonde/almost light brown hair and green eyes. His jaw was more from Esme's side of the family. _

_Jasper had blonde curly hair, with striking blue eyes. He resembled more Carlisle side. He had a fairly calm demeanor when comparing him to his brothers, but had a wicked temper that would come out if anyone bothered his brothers. He was the oldest._

_Emmett was the youngest, and had been the sickest. But you wouldn't be able to tell that now. He had the same blonde hair as Jasper, but kept it short and curly. His blue eyes were a different shade from Jaspers, a darker blue. Emmett to overcompensate for his sickly childhood, had become one of the best quarterbacks that Washington had ever produced._

_Emmett looked at his brothers square in the eyes. "Come on guys . . ."_

_Edward shook his head no and grabbed Tanya. "I'll meet you guys at Swan's."_

_He stalked off, and Jasper shivered. "I hope Eddie double bags his shit. That girl is a walking STD."_

_Alice smacked him on the arm. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't talk about my cousin that way. She may come off as a skank, but Edward has been leading her on since high school . . . She hasn't been with anyone other than Edward."_

"_She said she had been with seven other guys," Emmett laughed out._

"_Rule of seven," I replied cheekily. "Divide by seven, and that is as many people as she has been with."_

"_I thought that only applies to guys," Jasper said, scratching his head._

"_False," Alice screeched. "We pump up our numbers too. We don't want it to seem like all we do is sit around and twiddle our thumbs waiting for you men."_

"_Huh," Emmett said so eloquently. "Anyway, I'm jumping bitches."_

"_It really isn't a good idea," I told him. "The current is too strong."_

"_I'm stronger."_

_He jumped, and I screamed. Jasper and Alice ran to the edge with me as we scanned the water, waiting for him to surface. _

_After three seconds, Jasper started to panic. "Crap Bella, it's been too long." He started to strip, but I stopped him._

"_Jasper, you aren't a strong enough swimmer." I stripped off my jacket and threw it at him. I spotted Emmett a few feet from the rocks, out of the current. We had something going for us. "I'll get him. Met me down at first beach."_

_I jumped, without thinking and pulled myself into a tuck as I hit the water. I spotted Emmett, floating face down. I flipped him over, and dragged him to the beach. There was blood running down the side of his head, and he wasn't breathing._

"_Shit Emmett! You can't do this!"_

_I found a pulse, but he still wasn't breathing. I began mouth to mouth, forcing air into his lungs. _

"_Bella!"_

_I looked up and saw Jasper running frantically at us._

"_He's not breathing Jazz, call an ambulance, call your dad."_

_Jazz collapsed on the ground next to me, grabbing his brother's hand. "You stupid fucker, breathe!"_

_I started mouth to mouth again, trying to keep my composure. The sirens were heard, and all of the sudden, he started to cough. Jasper rolled him, while I stabilized his head. _

_He sputtered, trying to sit up. "Emmett, stay down. I don't know what you did, but you're bleeding and you need stitches."_

_I cupped his cheek as he struggled to catch his breath._

"_Get him to breath with you," Jasper said. "Breathe Em, I need you to calm down. I need you to stay with me Bro." Jasper whispered quietly._

"_Breathe with me," I whispered, putting my hand on his chest. His breathing started to calm down, and his eyes finally focused on me._

_The paramedics ran up, trying to pry us away from him. Emmett grabbed on to my hand, pleading me to stay with him. Jasper nodded, loading us on the bus._

_We made our way to the hospital with a worried Carlisle and Esme waiting. I paced the waiting room, shivering in my wet clothes. Edward had finally convinced me to change into something dry. Carlisle came out, running his hands through his hair, something that all of the Cullen boys had inherited._

"_He's fine. Doctor Weber is stitching him up now. He had to get a breathing treatment, but it could have been worse if Bella hadn't gotten to him."_

_Carlisle wrapped his arms around me, thanking me for saving his son. I blushed ducking away, and out of their celebration. I walked down the halls, finding myself being called into Emmett's room just as the doctor was finishing up._

"_There's my guardian angel."_

"_I'm anything but," I whispered. "Thank God you're safe."_

"_You saved me," he said with awe. _

_I was getting ready to say something when the entire Cullen clan walked in._

_One concussion later and a breathing treatment, our night was relegated to the Cullen mansion. We were going to be staying awake in shifts with Emmett._

_I walked into Emmett's room with some freshly popped popcorn and a movie. It was my turn to sit with Emmett. It was around three, and everyone else had gone to sleep. Emmett was staring at some video game he was playing, not playing just staring. He threw the controller on the couch and stalked over to me._

_His eyes were intense, locked on me._

_He put his arms on either side of me, caging me in against the door. His mouth descended on mine, demanding me. I took a deep breath, inhaling everything that was Emmett. Mint with a hint pine. _

_I expected him to turn around and walk away, going back to Mass Halo, or whatever he was playing on the Playstation, when he lifted me up, crushing me against him. We were now face to face, chest to chest. I wrapped my legs around him, following my instincts. _

"_Emmett, you don't have to do this because I saved you . . ."_

"_Silly girl, I know that," he whispered against my lips. "I have wanted to kiss you for years."_

"_It's the concussion talking."_

"_Bella, stop talking, and just feel," he growled out._

_I felt his hands, everywhere, playing homage to different parts of my body. He lifted the scrub top off me, exposing me to the chill of the mansion. He pulled me close to him, roughly pulling my hips closer to him. His lips crashed back into mine, rough, almost too rough._

_Not that I was complaining._

_He grounded into me. I felt all of him, I mean all of him, through his thin pajama pants against the thin scrub bottoms I was still wearing._

_His hands left my breast, and found purchase in my hair as his lips found my nipples. I hissed at the contact. _

"_So sweet," his whispered as his tongue flicked and played._

"_Emmett . . ."_

_He ground into me again, causing me to whimper. He picked me up, and I instinctually, wrapped my arms and legs around him, nipping and sucking his neck and earlobes. He crashed into the nearest wall, and set me on the ground. I whimpered, trying to figure out what was going on. He started untying the strings on both our pants, allowing them to fall to the ground._

"_What are we doing Emmett?" I tried to slow us down, but I wasn't even sure if that was what I wanted to do at this point. I was supposed to be watching him, helping him heal after his ordeal today. We got lucky that things didn't turn out much worse._

"_I thought you knew what we were doing," he whispered, as he fell to his knees, hiking my legs up around his shoulders. "Have you ever had a man, Isabella?"_

_Damn, he called me Isabella._

"_Answer me," he whispered as he gave me a long lick against my slit._

"_No," I moaned. It was the truth. I had thrown myself into school, ignoring most of the co-eds around me. I needed to focus on my classes to keep up my GPA. My scholarship had depended on it. Plus I hadn't been miss popular in college either._

"_Damn," he whispered, so softly I barely felt it. "Tell me to stop . . ."_

"_I can't. I need you Emmett." _

_He continued to flick at my clit, and his fingers spread me, allowing more access for him. His tongue plunged in, and I would have bucked off the wall if he hadn't been holding me there. He was murmuring and teasing, bringing me to the brink of ecstasy. _

"_Oh fuck, fuck, fuck . . ." I chanted._

"_No sweetheart, that is what we are getting ready to do." He bit lightly on my clit, causing my orgasm to overtake me. He continued sucking and licking until he was satiated. "That was better than I ever dreamed."_

_I picked me up bridal style, and brought me to his bed. _

_I was pulling up the covers when he started pulling them back down. "What do you think you are doing? You are supposed to be keeping me awake," Emmett smirked. "You look so fucking beautiful in my bed."_

_I went to cover up, when he stopped my movements. "Don't you dare cover yourself from me."_

_He grabbed my wrists and shoved them above my head, effectively pinning them there. He then shoved his tongue into my mouth, and I could taste myself on him. It was oddly erotic, and not as disgusting as I thought it would be. _

_Still holding my hands high above my head, his mouth explored my body. I brought my legs together, trying to get some friction with the way he was teasing me. I could feel his cock against my thigh. It was huge, and there was no way it could fit. He brought his fingers down to the apex of my thighs and started playing with the wetness there._

"_You are so wet and ready for me. Did I do this to you?"_

_I squirmed and writhed, seeking more friction against him. "Yes, you did this Emmett."_

"_Say my name again." He demanded, positioning himself between my legs._

"_Emmett . . ."_

"_That's right. It will be my name on your lips when I bring you to another orgasm tonight."_

_He teased my slit and clit with his cock, causing me to groan. "Please stop teasing."_

"_It's only teasing if I don't follow through Bella," he whispered against me ear, sucking my earlobe gently. "I don't want to hurt you . . ."_

_I grabbed his hips, pushing him into me. He groaned as I shifted, trying to get more comfortable. I pushed further in, finally hitting my back wall. There was no blood, or tearing of my hymen, as you would read in some fiction. Most women's are already broken because of sports or tampon use._

"_Damn Bella, you are so tight, I don't know if I can keep being gentle."_

"_Then don't," I whispered, wrapping my legs around him._

_That was all the encouragement he needed._

_He picked up the pace and gripped painfully at my hips. I knew the chances of me having an orgasm on the first time out would be difficult, if not impossible, but that didn't matter, as he already had given me my first one earlier up against the wall._

_He reached down between us and started to play with my clit as he was pumping. Yes, he was multi-talented in that way._

"_Cum Bella," he whispered, attacking the sensitive shell of my ear._

_I groaned, letting the sensations overwhelm me. I groaned out his name, as I came. He pumped several more times, and then came right after me. He rolled us over, placing me on top of him. I kissed her heart, because it just seemed right at that moment._

_I looked at him, and realized he was getting ready to fall asleep. I glanced at the clock, seeing that it was only four-thirty. He needed to be awake for another two hours._

"_Come on Em, stay awake for me," I pulled the covers off our naked bodies._

"_I can't. You wore me out."_

"_Come on, take a bath, stay awake."_

"_A bath?" He quirked his eyebrow up._

"_Yeah, we can't get your stitches wet," I reasoned. _

"_Only if you are with me, and I get to wash you."_

_That was reasonable, in my mind._

"_You are going to be pretty sore in the morning," Emmett whispered. "I'm sorry for bringing you any pain." He smoothed the hair from my face and smiled at me. He lifted me, and brought me into his bathroom, running a bath for us._

_We stayed in there until the water ran cold. He tossed me an oversized Bears jersey with his name on it and a pair of boxers. I was swimming in his clothes. We got dressed and settled on the couch with The Anchorman and the cold popcorn._

_He cupped my face and kissed me gently._

"_I felt you breathing for me," he whispered. "I felt your lips on me. I had to feel it again. Bella. . . I . . ."_

_There was a loud rap on the door, causing us to break apart. Carlisle came in a second later, looking at the both of us._

_He set coffee cups down for us, and checked Emmett's pupils again._

"_Bella, it's six thirty. Pops and Charlie have called, looking for you. I guess you forgot to call them."_

"_Shit, I'm sorry, with all the excitement with Emmett, I guess I forgot."_

"_It's alright dear. Anyway, they are going for breakfast in an hour and would like for you to be there for their weekly breakfast at the diner."_

"_My shift with Emmett isn't done yet," I said._

_Carlisle chuckled. "I'm sure I can watch him for the next hour. Get home and come back soon. Esme is cooking your favorite dinner tonight. We owe you for saving our son."_

"_It was nothing," I muttered. _

"_It was everything to us," Carlisle said, "You jumped into the currents to save him . . ."_

_His voice cracked as he pulled his youngest, into a hug. Carlisle was a man of few emotions, like her own father, and she felt like she was intruding in on a private moment. She slipped out and grabbed her keys. She needed to shower and to grab some clothes. As much as she wanted to where Emmett's jersey forever, it just wasn't possible._

XXXXXXXXXX

"So let me get this straight, you guys had sex, when you were supposed to be keeping him awake," Alice giggled. "I guess that is one way of following the doctor's orders. But that still doesn't explain why you didn't tell them, or me."

I sighed. "I pulled up for dinner that night and saw him kissing Rosalie on the front porch. I was crushed, so I left."

"That jackass! They were broken up, why the hell would they be kissing on the front porch?" Alice seethed. "And you just lost your virginity to him!"

"Alice, calm down. There are drunk people with loose lips in the bar, chill out."

She sighed. "That still doesn't explain why you didn't tell us about Emerson."

"I wanted to, trust me, I did. But I didn't even figure it out until I was three months along. I was still spotting during the three months, and then I was sick, or at least I thought I was sick. The college doctor did a pregnancy test, and well, it came back positive. I called Emmett, but Rosalie picked up, so I hung up. They were back together, and that was it. I had lost my chance with him."

"Why didn't you tell me? I wasn't even with Jasper at the time. I would have stood by you," Alice said, shaking her head.

"Ali, no offense, but you were all the way across the US. There was nothing you could do for me from over three thousand miles away . . ."

"I could have planned a baby shower, could have bought Emerson his first Nikes. I would have been there for you somehow."

"But everything worked out," I reasoned with her. "You are with Jasper now, and probably wouldn't have been if you had known about this. You would have stuck by me because that's what you would have done. No Alice, things will work out. I have to have faith that it will."

Angela popped her head in, telling us that Esme and Carlisle had come to pick up Alice. I nodded, and Alice looked at me.

"Jasper and I will be by in the morning. Maybe we can all go to the park together or something," Alice said hopefully as she gathered her things.

I nodded knowing that there was no way I could keep this from them now. She grabbed my cell and put her number in it. "Don't forget to call me."

"I won't Alice. I won't deprive Emerson of his family anymore. I only hope they can accept it."

Alice hugged me, kissing my cheek. "For what it's worth, I know you were only trying to do the right thing."

She shut the door behind her, and I banged my head against the desk. _Why had I let it go this long?_

_**AN: Here is the Em/B story that I have been working on. I hope you guys enjoyed the first installment. Let me know if you want more.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

**Telling Them**

**BPOV**

I closed my eyes, thinking about Emmett. I hadn't let myself think about him, I couldn't let myself have time to think about him. I had never meant to keep Emerson a secret, but I was a mother, and I wasn't going to let the poison that was Rosalie Hale around my child. It hurt that I had to choose between a man I had cared about so deeply and my child, but I had made the only decision that there was to make.

It was eleven o'clock in the morning when I pulled up to Meyer's Park. Amazingly, this was the first trip I was going to have with Emerson on this playground. Every other time we had been home, it had been too cold or raining, and I wasn't going to subject him to the elements. And in the month I had been back, I was so busy with trying to reopen Swan's, I just hadn't had the time. Today though, the weather was nice and the sun was shining, which was abnormal for Forks in September. Jake had taken him here yesterday, so I knew that there would be things that were kid friendly for him. I felt the excitement bouncing off of him as he pulled me to the swings. He even tripped over his own feet a couple of times.

_He must have gotten his clumsiness from my genes. One thing that I at least passed on to him._

After I brushed him off for the third time, I looked up and saw Alice standing by the slides with Edward and Jasper. I had been expecting Jasper, but not Edward. My heart seized in fear, hoping that Emmett's brothers would accept their nephew. I didn't approach them immediately, rather I got Emerson squared away in the sandbox with Angela's two twin brothers. I looked up and saw her sitting on the bench.

"Did you really think I would let you go through this alone?" Angela whispered quietly, handing me a coffee.

"I really appreciate it. How are the boys adjusting to your new work schedule?" I asked. Angela had custody of her twin brothers. Her mother had died in childbirth when Angela was a senior in college, and she had dropped everything to come back and help out with them. Her father died of a heart attack six months later. She had been working as a waitress at the diner, but needed something that paid more, so I gave her a job at Swan's.

"They are adjusting well, and luckily, Ben and his wife don't mind watching them until eleven."

I nodded, satisfied that the arrangement was working out well. I knew, far too well, on what could happen with single parents.

_Whose fault was that though?_ The nagging voice in the back of my head said.

"Bella, you need to go talk to them. If it gets out of hand, I'll make sure to move Emerson out of earshot. I might even just take them for ice cream."

"Just remember he is allergic to bananas, and if he begins to have an asthma attack, his inhaler is in the front pocket of the diaper bag."

"I've got it Bella, just go on now before Alice explodes."

I walked over to where they were standing and tried to force a smile on my face, I just couldn't seem to do it though. Ever step I took felt like I was walking a death march over to them. Jasper's eyes seemed to be solely focused on my twenty month old though. Edward had a fairly intense look on his face, like he was trying to fully grasp the situation.

"He is like a mini Emmett," Edward whispered, staring out at the sandbox.

"Only calmer," Jasper pointed out.

"He doesn't stay calm," I assured him. "He can be quite a handful." Right on cue, Emerson shrieked and ran out of the sandbox. "Emerson McCarty Swan, if you step foot on that pavement, so help me . . ."

Emerson ran back to the sandbox, jumping in. "Boys," I muttered.

Edward let his gaze drift from the playground, and he looked over at me for the first time in almost three years.

"So this is why you dropped out of our lives," he said softly, keeping his voice low. It wasn't accusing me, it was just a fact.

I nodded, keeping my eyes toward the ground. I was ashamed that I had kept Emerson from meeting his family, but every time I thought about it, I came up with another excuse of as to why it wasn't needed at the moment.

"How old is my nephew?" Jasper asked, sitting on the edge of one of the slides.

"He will turn two on December sixteenth."

I could tell he was doing the math in his head, so I stopped him. "It happened the night that we were all together last."

"Emmett had a concussion," Edward said.

"One thing just kind of lead to another," I whispered. "I wanted to tell him, I tried to tell him, but Rosalie . . ."

"What does Rosalie have to do with this?" Jasper asked, his voice escalating. "He dumped that bitch two days before he was with you."

"No, they got back together . . . I saw them kissing on the front porch when I came back for dinner that night," I protested.

Edward scrubbed his hand over his face. "I don't know what you saw Bella, but I assure you he didn't want Rosalie Hale. He was walking around all day on cloud nine. Emmett had wanted you since we first moved to Forks, hell we all did."

I looked at them in shock.

"But, we have a strict 'Bros before Hoes' rule," Jasper clarified. "If all three of us wanted the same girl, none of us could ask her out. No girl was worth breaking up our family for."

I nodded understanding that rule.

"I had never seen him so fucking happy," Jasper said. "Then when you didn't come back, he was crushed. He never said why though."

I slumped down on the sand, staring out at Emerson.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jasper and Edward said at the same time. It wasn't common that they did that but it was known to happen.

"When I found out I was pregnant, I called Emmett in Chicago," I told them.

"So he knew, and that fucker just left you alone for almost three years!" Edward raged. He got up and started pacing, running his hands through his hair. "I'm gonna kill him when I see him on Friday. Mom and Dad raised us better than this! That fucker is going to die!"

"No . . ." I interrupted him. I needed to calm his rage. This wasn't entirely Emmett's fault. It was mine. "I wasn't able to get a hold of him. Rosalie picked up at his apartment," I told them. "I never had the chance to tell him."

Tears started streaming down my face. I tried to brush them away. "I swear, none of this was intentional. I wanted Emmett to pursue his dream."

"Bella, it will be alright," Alice tried to comfort me.

"I thought I lost everything. I lost my chance with him Alice. He's back with Rosalie," I whispered. "She called me back, using caller ID. She yelled, basically saying that they were back together, and that there was no way in hell I was going to be able to talk with him. She told me that she was pregnant with his child, and that he would never leave her for me."

"You didn't tell me that last night." Alice draped her arms around me, pulling me in for a hug.

"Why would he want to be with someone like me, when he could have someone like Rosalie Hale?"

"Because Rosalie Hale is a bitch, sure she may be pretty to look at, but she is nothing but a pretty face," Edward said. "What she told you was all lies. They hadn't been back together since we were all together last. Emmett's been trying for the last three years to shake her, but she just doesn't take the hint."

"All this aside though, we still have to tell Mom and Dad," Jasper said. "Why don't you bring Emerson over for dinner tonight?"

"I couldn't spring him on them like this. You guys may be understanding, to a point, but I deprived you of a nephew, and you parents of a grandchild."

Edward nodded. "I'm still a little dazed, I mean, so many things could have been avoided if you could have just told someone. I have a nephew out there who is almost two. He doesn't know us. Has he ever asked about Emmett?"

"Not really," I said. "There is a picture of Emmett and me together by his crib. He knows that he has a dad, but doesn't really realize that there is supposed to be a dad around. Emerson has had some contact with other children, but I have been rather fortunate to have my father and Jake to be around. So far, he seems to be doing okay."

Jasper looked at me. "Bella, you are going to let us be a part of his life, right? I mean, you aren't going to cut us off from us, are you?"

"I never meant to cut you guys off, I just believed all of Rosalie's lies. I was hurt and alone. I didn't have anyone to turn to."

"You have us again," Jasper told me. "Even if Emmett runs scared, which I doubt he will, I know that without a doubt that Emerson will be a part of my life."

"Mine too," Edward piped up. "You aren't alone Bella. I'm sorry that you felt that you couldn't call me or talk to me."

"I just wanted to tell Emmett first . . ."

I gazed out, looking at Emerson running around with Whitman and Harper. To my surprise Carlisle and Esme were walking towards us. Esme stopped when she saw Emerson running right past her. She held a hand up to her mouth, presumably to cover her look of shock.

Jasper broke out into a sprint, as Edward tried to calm my breathing down.

"Just breathe Bella," he said soothingly. "Don't worry. They will be fine, we just have to let them adjust to the shock."

I looked over at Angela who got the gist. She quickly rounded up the kids and took them over to the local ice cream parlor.

"Jasper, what is the meaning of this?" Esme's normally soft voice could be heard throughout the playground.

"Mom, calm down," Jasper said. "There is no need to be upset."

"No need to be upset?" Esme screeched. "What the hell is going on?"

"Why is there a mini Emmett running around?" Carlisle asked, looking around. His eyes finally landed on me, and they widened in surprise.

He brought them over to where we were all sitting.

"How did you know we were here?" Edward asked, sitting down, next to his mother.

"I think that would be the least of our worries . . ."

"Esme," Carlisle said gently. "We were at the pharmacy picking up our prescriptions when Lauren Mallory asked us why we weren't down here playing with our grandson."

_Damn Mallory family. I was going to have to TP their house something fierce on Halloween. This was getting out of control._

"I assured her that I didn't have any grandchildren," Esme said, finally bringing her voice back down. "Turns out I was wrong. Why didn't you say something to us?"

"Well the past year, you guys were at Oxford," I said.

"That doesn't make up for the two years before that . . ." Carlisle shouted. "We Cullens look out for each other, we had a grandson, which apparently everyone in this town knew about other than us!" He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It wasn't like that," I stated, trying to defend myself. "I was twenty-one! Scared, out of my mind. I tried to tell Emmett, but every time I tried, someone stood in the way!"

"Really, you could have tried harder!" Esme said. "He doesn't know us!"

"Mom, Dad, he may never get to know us if you keep acting like this," Jasper shouted, trying to calm them down.

"What! Are you saying she won't let us know our grandchild," she seethed. For the first time since I had met Esme Cullen, I recoiled from her.

I was getting ready to defend myself when blue lights flooded the park. _Shit._

Dad had pulled up in his cruiser and was righting his belt when he came down the path to us.

"I got a call about a domestic disturbance here," he said.

_God, could this day get worse._

"Seems like there was some shouting and yelling going on. One of the neighbors called this is," Dad informed us, slowly and softly. "Look, I know that you guys just found something out from Loud Mouth Mallory Junior that should have been told to you three years ago, but it didn't happen for some reason. You guys though are disturbing the peace of my town, and I'm going to have to ask you to lower your voices."

Carlisle looked up at Charlie. "Charlie, why didn't you tell us about Isabella being pregnant?"

"It wasn't my place to tell," he explained. "What Bella does with Emerson is her business. I can only advise her to do things. And for what it's worth, I asked her to tell you guys as soon as I figured it out. Stubborn girl refuses to tell anyone who the father is, she just keeps quiet about his parentage, but you can look at him and tell he is a Cullen, so the townsfolk have a 1 in 2 shot of getting this right."

"His name is Emerson?" Esme gasped.

"Yes," I said softly.

"Like after the famous poet?" Carlisle inquired. "I knew you always like literature. I would find you asleep in the office reading. He was your favorite."

"No. I named him Emerson because it sounding like Em's son. I know it's dorky, but that is the real reason. A lot of people assume though that he was named after Emerson, though."

I sighed, taking a deep breath.

"I never meant to keep anything from you. I always wanted Emerson to have you guys in his life, but Carlisle, you just got the position at Oxford and the guys were living their dreams. You know that Emmett would have focused on me throughout the pregnancy, and he had just gone pro. I wasn't going to take his dream like that. One night changed everything for me; it didn't have to change it for you guys as well. Emmett had the right to live his life with Rosalie."

"What does that bitch have to do with anything?" Carlisle grounded out.

I had never heard Carlisle use vulgar language, and wondered what exactly Rosalie did to this family to piss them off so much.

"She basically told Bella to stay the fuck away from Emmett when she tried to call him," Jasper explained.

Esme muttered something, but I couldn't quite make it out.

Charlie looked at me, gauging my level of comfort. "Look, I think it is safe to say that Bella isn't going to cut Emerson out of your lives. Some miscommunications and lies kept you guys from coming together, but that was in the past. You have to forgive and move toward the future, otherwise you will let your life just waste away because of something you can't change.

"Now, if you guys are done disturbing the peace, I saw my grandchild eating some ice cream with Angela. I will wait for you guys to calm down before I bring him back down here. This is a family town, regardless of all the newbies flocking in here. I count us lucky to live here, to be able to raise our children here. Keep it down."

"Yes sir," Jasper told him.

Carlisle nodded, walking with my dad up to the cruiser. They exchanged some words, but it didn't seem to be anything special. I looked over at Esme, trying to figure out what to say.

"Emerson," she breathed.

"Emerson McCarty Swan," I provided. "Emmett had told me that was your mother's maiden name and his middle name. I wanted to give him something of you. I never meant to hurt you; I just couldn't find the words to tell you. I hope you won't hate me forever."

"I think I'm just in shock," she replied.

Carlisle was coming back down the hill, looking shocked as well. He slid in next to me. "How did this happen?"

"Dad, I think we know how babies are made," Edward said, trying to lighten up the situation.

Carlisle shot him a look, causing him to look down.

"I mean, I didn't even know you two were dating," Esme said. "The boys always had a certain fondness for you and Alice, but weren't allowed to act on anything. You guys were the only two girls ever allowed in the brother's circle."

"We weren't dating," I sighed. "The night I pulled Emmett out of the water, something between the two of us shifted. One thing led to another, and well . . ." I trailed off, leaving the rest to the imagination. They didn't need to know everything.

"So you took advantage of my concussed son," Carlisle said, teasing me a little.

"It wasn't like that," I defended.

Nobody was taking advantage of anyone. We were both willing participants, we both wanted it. I couldn't say that I would take back that night, I loved my son.

"Relax Bells," Edward whispered. "He was just teasing you. Emmett concussed or not, would have wanted you. It became obvious to Jasper and I that his feelings for you were stronger than we ever imagined. And then when you jumped into the water to save him, it was obvious to us that there was something there."

"I couldn't let him drown. The water was so cold and icy, I was scared I wasn't going to be able to drag him out."

I closed my eyes thinking of that night again.

I shuddered with the images.

"Mommy!"

I opened my eyes and saw Emerson running straight for me.

"Hold you Mommy, hold you!"

I scooped him up, tossing him in the air and catching him. I wouldn't be able to do this much longer, he was getting bigger every second.

"Hmm, it my favorite flavor of Emerson! Rocky Road Emerson!"

I got up and started chasing him around the park, letting him get a couple of feet away from me before I scooped him up. I walked to where my father and Angela were and grabbed a wet one from the bag and scrubbed his face. I didn't want him meeting the Cullens with a messy face.

I picked him up and balanced him on my hip.

"Emerson, there are some very special people I want you to meet."

Carlisle had a steady hand on Esme, trying to keep her in place. I could tell that she was excited, but didn't want to freak poor Emerson out.

"Emerson, these are some very good friends of mine. Can you tell them hi?"

He nodded, ducking his head into my shoulder. I brushed his hair out of his face.

"Hi," he whispered shyly.

"I'm Carlisle." Carlisle told him, when I placed Emerson on the ground. Carlisle crouched down to in front of him, and Carlisle smiled. Emerson looked at me, and I nodded.

"It's okay baby," I tried to explain to him.

Emerson touched Carlisle's knee, smiling back at him. Emerson was sizing him up, and he put his hands on his hips, swaying slightly. "My sons all did that at your age," he said smiling. Carlisle picked Emerson up and perched him on his hip. He smoothed away Emerson's curls, making me smile.

He started squirming after a minute, which really wasn't a surprise to me. Emerson really wasn't the kind of boy to sit still for long. He ran over to my bag and pulled out his little football - a gift from Jake - and it just happened to be his favorite. _Like father, like son._

"Play?" He asked, running back over to Carlisle.

"Sure thing buddy. Can Jasper and Edward join?"

Emerson looked at his two uncles and smiled. He reached over and touched Jasper's hair, studying it. He then touched his own hair, as if he was putting things together in his mind.

"Like me?" he whispered.

"Yeah, I have blonde hair like you," Jasper smiled, raising up to his knees. "Wanna play?"

He picked up the child size football and tossed it at Edward.

"I get Emerson," Jasper cried, picking up Emerson and running to the field.

"Why not me?" Edward pouted, running after them. "Dad is an old man!"

"I resemble that remark," Carlisle said, running after them.

"Oh dear Lord," Esme muttered sitting next to me on the bench. She reached over and grabbed my hand. "Bella?"

"Yes Esme?" My voice sounded foreign. I was nervous, anxious.

"I'm sorry you felt like you couldn't come to us, but now that we know, what is going to happen? I can't go on pretending that he doesn't exist," Esme said, watching them run around the field.

"I don't expect for you to. How much contact you guys want with Emerson is entirely up to you. I don't expect anything from you, how can I? I kept a huge secret for almost three years, and I didn't do it to try to hurt you . . ."

"I know dear," Esme said quietly. "I just hated that I had to hear it from Loud Mouth Mallory Jr."

I watched as Carlisle lobbed the ball gently to Emerson as he caught it, and ran to Jasper. "I was going to tell you, tonight. Alice and I made plans to tell you over dinner, it just didn't turn out the way we planned. I'm just grateful that you haven't flipped out and tried to kill me."

"Sweetheart, we all make mistakes."

I scoffed, and Esme smiled.

"Granted, Emmett is just as accountable for you. Did he try to call you at all?" Alice asked. "I know he talked about it."

"No, never," I said. "If Edward was right about it meaning something, then Emmett would have called, he would have tried, but he didn't." I rationalized, staring off at my baby. _Maybe it meant more to me then it did to him._

It was almost one when I saw Emerson yawn. It was definitely time for his nap, and I wasn't going to let him skip it. The last time I did, he had a major meltdown in the middle of the Thriftway. I wasn't wanting to go through that again.

"Emerson, five minutes, and then you have to go down for a nap," I shouted.

Right then I got four similar pouts from all four Cullen men. Esme let out a loud laugh.

Alice giggled. "That was priceless. You would think you were taking away their favorite toy."

I started shaking out some of his sand toys and packed up all the toys that were scattered around.

"Will you two please come for dinner tonight?" Esme asked. "I would like more time with him."

I nodded.

"Is there anything he is allergic to?"

"Bananas. He is pretty picky right now, living off hotdogs and chicken nuggets."

She smiled. "Edward is allergic to bananas, Jasper peanut butter. Emmett still loves hotdogs and chicken nuggets. Emmett will be home on Friday. You have a couple of days to figure out how you are going to tell him."

"I know," I replied quietly. I only hoped that Emmett would be accepting of his son as well as his family was.

**AN: I want to thank everyone who put me on author alert/story alert/favorite author list. Awesome. To my reviewers, you asked for speedy updated, I was able to do this, but don't get too used to it unless the city shuts down again because of snow.**

**As always, review. It lets us know what you are thinking and helps writers glean inspiration.**

**What would you like to see? EMPOV? BPOV?**

**Let me know. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

**BPOV:**

I walked into Emerson's room staring at the picture of Emmett and me. It was taken at the big formal party that his parents hosted for him after he was drafted to play for the Bears. It was in Seattle, a night before Emmett jumped off the cliffs at First Beach. I was looking up at him and he was smiling down at me, my hands were grasping the lapels of suit. I remembered the moment quite clearly, as if it was just moments ago, rather than three years ago.

_I was walking through yacht, staring overboard at the lights of Seattle. The Cullen's never threw a party halfway. I guess that's what happens when two old money families marry each other. Not that you would ever know by the way the children were raised. _

_I was sipping on champagne and looking up at the stars, wondering why I came to the party in the first place. Edward and Tanya were in the corner making out, which didn't surprise me. Edward always sought Tanya's affections when he was back on this side of the states._

_Jasper and Alice were off fighting about, well, whatever they fight about. The brothers often joke that they just need to sleep together to get rid of the tension._

_Emmett, well, Emmett was on the arm of Rosalie, which is where he should have been. They had been dating for years, and quite honestly I was surprised to find out that they weren't married yet. I had thought they were going to get married right out of high school, but now we had graduated college, and no wedding bells . . . yet._

_My father had come as my date, but had sought Sue's attention. It didn't bother me, but man._

_So that leaves me, being the odd girl out. That was fine. All I ever needed was me, the stars, and a good glass of champagne, which was now gone. _

_Damn, I would have to go get another one._

_I turned, and stumbled when the yacht lurched slightly. I wasn't the most coordinated on land, and now, sea as well._

"_You are always losing your balance," Emmett told me, walking up with two glasses of champagne._

_Of course he would be the one to see me stumble. _

"_Well, I haven't always been the most coordinated person, now have I," I replied cheekily, rolling my eyes._

"_What are you doing out here, all alone?"_

"_Admiring the view." I sighed, looking out at the stars. "It reminds me of home. In Seattle, the city lights block out all the stars, so I never get to see them like this. Now, why are you out here with me, instead of Rosalie?"_

"_Rose can manage without me. I would much rather be out here with you, Bella," he told me sincerely. I looked up at him, searching his face. Emmett had those dimples that just wanted to make me melt. I would never tell him that though, boy had a big head about his looks._

"_I have a knock, knock joke for you," Emmett said, his eyes lighting up._

"_Em, I don't think so. I'm not in the mood for your raunchy jokes . . ."_

"_Come on Bells, humor me. Knock, knock."_

"_Who's there?"_

"_Little old lady."_

"_Little old lady who?"_

"_I didn't know you could yodel."_

_I started laughing, even though it was stupid. And he was smiling down at me. That's when the photographer took the picture. _

"You know Bella, you could be happy with him," Jake said softly, not wanting to wake up Emerson.

I set the picture down and quietly left his room, making sure to take the monitor with me. Unfortunately, he would have to have a short nap because we were going to the Cullen's house for dinner tonight.

"I don't know why you are saying that Jake . . . Emmett was with Rosalie, or so I thought, and even if they weren't together, too much time has passed for use to just pick up right where we left off. Things have changed drastically for us now. I'm a mother now, and everything I have to do is for Emerson."

"I'm saying that because, when I look at that picture, I see two people in love . . ."

"No Jake, that's not what happened. He told me a joke, I laughed, he was smiling. That's it."

"Then how do you explain the look of love in Emmett's eyes? Or in your eyes for that matter?" Jake muttered, putting his hands on his hips.

"You are just seeing what you want to see."

Jake sighed, wrapping me up into his arms. It was comfortable and safe. So much like being with Emmett, but so different at the same time. But I didn't want to be in Jake's arms. I pulled away and started pacing.

"What happens when Emmett finds out? What happens if he doesn't want Emerson?"

Charlie walked in, shaking his head. "I don't think that it will happen like that Bells."

"I kept his child from him . . ."

"You said yourself it was unintentional," Dad tried to reason with me.

"I still should have told him."

Dad nodded, sitting in his recliner, drinking his Vitamin R. "What is done, is done. You just have to deal with it."

"You know Dad, you are sounding more and more like Yoda. I mean, what was up with what you said in the park? I think you are spending way too much time at the Rez fishing and watching Star Wars with Seth Clearwater."

Charlie shook his head, and Jake laughed.

Luckily, the subject was changed for now, and we could pretend that this morning never happened for the next two hours.

XXXXXXXXXX

The old Cullen Mansion was on the outskirts of town on top of twenty acres of land that had a stream running smack dab through the middle of it. I loved the fact that they owned so much land. Edward, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and I would spend hours with the boys on the four wheelers exploring the land.

It was my understanding that Carlisle and Esme had an offer from the head coach of the Seahawks to buy their property and house for a hefty amount, but they wouldn't hear of it. Esme had always felt like Forks was her home above all the other places they had lived. I was grateful, I didn't want to see the land going to someone else anyway. Too many memories. This was more than a home to many of us.

I drove the familiar route in my beat up 1995 Toyota Corolla. I had to replace the Beast after my junior year in college, but that didn't matter anyway. There was no way I could let Emerson ride in the cab with me anyway.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah Baby," I responded pulling into the drive.

"I hungwy."

I glanced at the clock, we had an hour until he normally ate, but he had been running around with his uncles and grandfather today. My breath caught in my throat. He finally had a big part of his family back, and they wanted him.

_But would Emmett?_

We made our way up to the mansion, and Emerson started chattering. He was at that point where he was gaining more words ever day, meaning now I had to be even more careful about what words I would say around him.

"Mommy, wing bell."

I smiled, and lifted him up, letting him ring the doorbell.

Emerson then ran behind my legs, waiting for the door to open. Esme opened up the door and smiled at me.

"You came," she said.

"Sorry I'm a little late, but Emerson slept a little longer than expected. His uncles and grandfather wore him out today."

She smiled. "Carlisle is actually taking a nap on the couch, and Edward and Jasper are in their rooms. Do you remember me from the park, Sweetie."

"Meme," Emerson screeched running to her. Esme swept him up in her arms. "Emson hungwy."

"Well let's fix that after your wake up Carlisle . . ."

Esme pointed Emerson to where a sleeping Carlisle was, I felt bad for him for a second. Emerson wasn't exactly the most gentle of boys when waking people up.

"Papop, wake up!"

"Papop?" Esme looked at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. Emerson always made up his words for calling people. Charlie was G-Pop, which made me smile, it was like a part of Pops went on.

"You will probably always be Meme. I hope you don't mind."

"I love it, and I am too young to be grandma anyway." Esme smiled. I looked over and saw Carlisle, grinning like a fool as Emerson, started poking at him, whisper-yelling Papop over and over again. Emerson finally gave up with the poking and climbed on top of Carlisle. Carlisle wrapped his arms around Emerson and flipped him up in the air.

"Papop was trying to sleep!"

"Papop, Emson hungwy."

"Well, let's see what we have in the kitchen for you." Carlisle juggled him in his arms expertly. Walking by me.

"No bananas," I called over my shoulder. I plopped the diaper bag on the ground, and one of the scrapbooks fell out. Esme eyed it, and I picked it up. "I thought you might like to look through it." I handed it to her, and she grasped my hand, leading me into the den, where Jasper and Edward were. They must have came down stairs.

"Your dad is in the kitchen with Emerson. Edward, can you check on the roast for me, and Jasper can you start peeling the potatoes for mashed potatoes?"

"Sure Ma," Jasper replied, leaving with Edward in tow.

"I hope I am half the mother you are . . ."

"From what I can tell, you are Emerson's world," Esme said, opening up the first scrapbook.

She gazed down at a picture of me at three months pregnant. You couldn't tell that I was pregnant, but Sam thought that I would want pictures of the event. I was certain I wouldn't, but I'm glad Sam made me do it. In this particular picture, my hands were in the shape of a heart over my stomach around the ultrasound picture.

"I knew extreme love that day," I whispered.

Esme looked at me, getting ready to say something when the front door burst open.

"I'm home Bitches!"

My breathing hitched, I knew that voice anywhere . . .

**EmPOV:**

I ran my hand through my blonde curls as I saw the sign which proclaimed "Welcome to Forks." I never in my life thought that I would want to settle back down in dark, soggy, green Forks, Washington, but deep down, I knew it was home. It would always be home.

We all knew that we would eventually be back here, which is why I was now currently in negotiations with the Seattle Seahawks to become their newest starting quarterback. I hadn't told anyone the news yet, as it wasn't yet confirmed, but I knew I would take almost any deal to get back home.

It had been a long fucking time since I graced this town with my presence. I should have come back to visit, but there was really no one left to visit over the past couple of years. Dad and Mom had been in Oxford, Jazz and Edward were off at Dartmouth pursuing degrees. I had moved to Chicago to play for the Bears, and had spent almost three years there.

Rosalie had convinced me that leaving Forks would be great, would be what we needed to move on with our lives. I had listened to her. We were young, in love, and ready to start the rest of our lives. Unfortunately, what I had planned for the rest of our lives wasn't exactly what Rose had thought the rest of our lives would be.

To make a long story short, she lied, cheated, and drugged her way through life. She dragged me through it too, but luckily my brothers saved me before I got in too deep, and we were able to keep it out of the media.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts of the Bitch from Girlfriends Past and decided that I would focus on my future, because I was hoping that I could make my past my future once again.

I continued down the road, passing by the familiar shops. Mrs. Newton was sweeping the front of her store, which she always did at five on the dot. Archie, the local barber was in the middle of closing up shop for the day so he could go eat dinner at the diner with his wife of 30 years. There were more shops, which weren't familiar to me, but I guess that is what was to be expected if a town was going through a revitalization.

The Seahawks new training facility and stadium were only thirty minutes from here, and honestly the commute from Forks would be easier than the commute from Seattle, so many of the players were building around here, which meant a booming economy for the sleepy town of Forks.

I pulled up to Swan's hoping that I could speak to Pops. I had truly missed him over the years, and wanted to just sit with him and shoot the shit like we did before I left here. I glanced at my watch, seeing that it was three o'clock, and whereas Swan's wouldn't be open to the public, Phillip Swan would still have a select few in just to pass the time while he worked on opening it.

I got out, feeling the mist around me, and I pulled my jacket closer around me. Some old Forks' weather.

"Emmett Cullen, I never thought I would see you around again."

I smiled at the familiar voice - Dottie, the owner of the diner. "Ms. Dottie, how are you?"

"Fine Sweetheart. I never thought I would see you again after you left town with the Hale girl."

"Ms. Dottie, I didn't leave town with Rose, we just happened to leave at the same time and moved to the same town."

"Sure, sure."

I could tell that she didn't quite believe me, but it was the truth.

"Business has sure picked up since you young whippersnappers started building some fancy new stadium close to here."

"They aren't causing you too much trouble, are they Ms. Dottie?"

"Oh no Emmett, dear. They are perfect gentlemen. I had to add more to my menu for the new age food to add fancy things like bleu cheese hamburgers, but nothing too bad. So . . . why are you at Swan's so early? Isabella doesn't open Swan's until about five, and she isn't opening today."

"What happened to Pops?"

"He died about a year ago." She trailed off. We always thought that Ms. Dot and Pops had something on the side, but they never confirmed or denied everything. "Didn't Bella tell you? The five of you were attached at the hip."

"We all lost contact when we moved after college. But we are all back together now, and maybe we could all go out together."

"That would be wonderful, and if Charlie can't watch Bella's son, tell her I will."

I inhaled deeply, probably inhaling a bug while I was at it, but _WHAT THE HELL._

Isabella had a son?

Truly, I had thought moving here would lead me back to her, but it was obvious that I was too late. She had moved one, and could I blame her? She was a lovely woman who deserved to have everything she wanted in life.

"Emmett, Sweetheart, you look a little pale . . ."

"Yeah, I guess I just realized everything I missed out on."

"Emmett, you are young. You have plenty of life left dear, so don't dwell too much on the past. I expect to see you soon."

I hugged Ms. Dottie, smelling the all too familiar smell of peppermint and strawberries. I made my way back to my car, head spinning from all the changes. Pops was gone and Bella was apparently a mother.

_What the fuck had I missed while I was wasting away in Chicago?_

Was I so lost in mine and Rosalie's drama that I missed some of the most important moments of my best friend's life?

I drove around aimlessly, finding myself at the cliffs of La Push.

I parked, and walked out to the point where I almost died when I jumped. Bella had saved my life that day in more ways than one. I sighed, watching the sunset over First Beach.

So many things happened that day. Bella had the last shift, and she really didn't need to stay with me, but she did. Showing me how perfect she really was for me. I had wanted Isabella Swan since we moved to Forks, but so did my two brothers, so none of us did anything about it until that night, or morning as the case may have it. I was getting ready to profess my love for her when my father walked in.

_I watched as Bella walked out of my room wearing my shirt with my last name on it, with boxers that were getting ready to fall down around her ankles at any moment. She was perfect, so fucking beautiful and she didn't even know it. _

_Dad sat down beside me, noticing me watching her. He snickered, looking at me. He knew._

_We sat in silence for an hour, watching the news together. Dad was in doctor mode, checking my stitches and breathing. I could tell that he was on the verge of having a mental break down. _

"_Don't you ever fucking do that to me again, do you understand me Emmett . . ."_

"_Dad . . ." For Dad to be so emotional and to cuss, I knew that he was on the verge of losing it. _

"_No Emmett. You don't understand what it is like to see your child on a gurney! Promise me, Emmett. You can't do that me to me again."_

_I looked at my father, really for the first time since he came into the room. His eyes were red, and there was a slight smell of alcohol on his breath._

"_Dad, I'm sorry."_

_He took in a shuddering breath. "I know Son. You mean so much to your mother and me. You and your brothers are our lives. You won't understand what I mean until you have a child of your own, but seeing you there just about killed me too."_

_I sat in silence, not able to defend my actions. It was stupid, I knew that. I put my life and Bella's life at risk._

_I took in a deep breath with that realization. I almost killed her._

"_You and Bella?" Dad interrupted my thoughts, changing the topic. Dad wasn't really one to dwell on heavy topics, but I knew he had to get it out._

_I didn't say anything, I just turned back toward the morning news. _

"_Emmett, I'm not going to judge you guys, all I'm asking is that you are careful. Jumping from Rosalie to Bella less than a week, it seems awful sudden. Are you sure?"_

"_Yeah Dad. I'm sure." It was Bella, it had always been Bella. _

"_Have you talked about what you are going to do while she is finishing grad school, and you are in Chicago?" He inquired._

"_Not really Dad, it is all so new, we hadn't given it much thought."_

"_Do some thinking and talking then Em. You guys always get together for such a short time, there are a lot of decisions to make."_

_I knew that, but I wanted the chance to enjoy her before we had to talk about the heavy stuff. I took a sip of my coffee, staring at the door. I barely registered my dad chuckling. _

"_You've got it bad Son. I have to ask though, are you sure that Bella isn't the rebound girl from Rosalie?"_

"_I'm 100% positive Dad. It's more like Rosalie was the rebound girl from Bella."_

"_But you guys dated for six years now."_

"_That is how long I knew that Bella was for me."_

"_WHAT. THE. FUCK!"_

_I turned and saw Rosalie in the doorway. She had fire in her eyes, and I knew this was bad._

"_I had to hear from Tanya of all people that you were stupid enough to jump off a cliff and to risk our future."_

"_Tanya, we are over," I stated slowly. I swear talking to her was like talking with a child._

"_Yeah, I figured when I heard you mooning over Bella Swan, again. When are you going to figure that people like you and her don't mix?" Rosalie scathed. "We are what makes sense."_

"_Shut up Rosalie," I seethed._

"_Emmett Christian McCarthy Cullen, I didn't raise you to talk to a lady like that!"_

_I heard my mother's voice filter into my room. I rolled my eyes. Rosalie was no lady, but I couldn't very well tell my mother that, now could I._

_I closed my eyes and sighed. I was tired, and now had been up for over twenty-four hours. "Dad, can I finally sleep?"_

"_Sure Son. But I am going to be checking on you."_

_I nodded, walking over to the bed, which two hours previously I had made love to Isabella Swan. I closed my eyes, letting sleep take me and dreaming of her._

_Three hours later, I woke up, smelling my mother's brunch wafting in through the house. Mom's waffles were the best. I pulled on some jeans and all but ran down stairs to the kitchen. Rosalie was still there, much to my annoyance. _

"_Rose . . ."_

"_Emmett . . ."_

"_I don't want you here," I stated clearly. "We are over. Rose, you were my first love, and I will always hold a place for you, but your place isn't with me anymore." Mom and Dad didn't need to hear the whole story right now. The breakfast table wasn't the place for airing out dirty laundry._

_I saw the anger flash in her eyes, but I couldn't care about that. _

_My mother raised an eyebrow, but didn't question anything. My brothers stared at me, knowing that something was up._

_Rose sat quietly, finishing up her food. I couldn't really tell what was in her mind, but that didn't concern me anymore. I collected our dishes and waited for Rosalie to gather her possessions. When we finally made it out to the front porch, she turned and looked at me._

"_I'm sorry Emmett."_

"_I can't do this anymore Rose. We have been hurting each other too much, we can't do this anymore."_

"_Emmett . . ." Rose pushed into me, shoving her body up against mine and crashed her lips into mine. I was taken by surprise and it took me a minute to realize what was happening. I pushed her off of me._

_She was smirking. "You will come back to me Emmett, you always do."_

"_No fucking likely."_

_I turned on my heel and when back inside, waiting for Bella to come back. She should be coming soon for dinner, and I was bouncing, waiting for her._

But she never came back. She moved on with her life. I shook my head out of the memories and decided it was time to go home.

I pulled up the drive seeing Edward and Jasper's cars parked next to Dad's newest Mercedes SUV. That man was a sucker for German engineering. There was another car that was here. I didn't know who the beat up Corolla belonged too, most likely a person from town.

I entered the front door hearing Jasper and Edward in the kitchen.

"I'm home Bitches!"

"Emmett language!" My mother scolded me, coming out of the living room.

There was a scuffle and a sound of a child giggling in the kitchen. I watched in fascination as a tow head boy ran from the kitchen into the foyer.

"Meme!"

Bella was out of the living room, trying to catch, who I could only assume was her son.

He stopped in front of Esme and looked to me. Bella stopped short, trying to catch her breath.

"I'm Emmett, who are you?" I kneeled down, to get a closer look at him. His eyes were a familiar shade of blue, his blonde, curly hair was startling familiar.

"Emson," He stated proudly as he patted his overall covered chest.

The child smiled, and instantly I knew that he was mine.

I looked over at Bella, who had tears running down her cheeks.

"Emerson, why don't I go see what we have for dinner." Esme scooped him up, taking him from my view. I stared at Bella, who hadn't moved from her spot since she laid eyes on me.

"Emmett . . ."

I held up my hand to forestall her. I didn't know what to think, what to do.

How long did my family know about him?

Why the hell hadn't she told me?

"Emmett, please . . ."

"Not now Bella."

I wrenched open the door, slamming it behind me. I jumped into my rental and peeled out of the driveway. I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't care.

Fuck.

**AN: As always, reviews make writers happy. **

**Let me know what you want to see. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

**Not the way you expect it**

**EmPOV:**

Emerson, Emerson. My son. She didn't have to verbally confirm it, I knew by looking at him that he was mine, how could he not be. He was a fucking spitting image of me at two. No need for Jerry Springer to give me a DNA test. Besides, I couldn't stand drama. Rosalie Fucking Hale gave me enough drama to last a lifetime.

Fuck me sideways. Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't she let me be a part of his life? Surely she would know how important it was for a child to have two parents in their lives. Bella, herself, was a product of a broken home, and she was adamant on not having children if it wasn't with someone she was going to be with. I guess that changed because she had my son, and was raising him alone, or was she?

_Hell fucking no is another man going to raise my son._

My son.

Isabella's son.

I continued to drive around Forks, and I pulled up to Swan's not realizing that I had subconsciously driven there. But I didn't really care, I needed something that only Jack, Jim, or Jose could provide for me right now. Walking into the bar, I sat down at my normal stool and plopped down. There was an entirely new staff, but I guess that was to be expected considering Swan's was underneath new management.

I tapped my keys on the bar top, a nervous habit, waiting for the bartender to notice me. _Angela Weber_. She was a year younger than us in school, and had always had a gentle soul.

"I never pegged you for a bartender," I told her as she came up.

"One of the best in town. Bella trained me herself, and she was trained by the master."

Just hearing her name made my stomach churn.

She poured me a shot of Jack and sat it down in front of me.

_I knew I liked her for a reason._

"I guess she told you."

"She didn't have to tell me. Mini Me was standing right in front of me with identical dimples," I muttered, downing the shot. The shit burned, but I needed to feel it.

"Emerson does look a lot like you."

I tapped the glass and Angela filled another shot for me.

I downed it again, and looked up.

"Maybe you should slow down there . . . I'm sure you would still like to be standing in the morning."

"I'll take whatever you have on tap, and why don't you start a tab for me."

Angela shook her head, grabbing my credit card, placing it behind the bar. She poured me a Sam Adams and poured out two more shots.

"One more can't hurt you, you are a big guy." She raised her shot glass to mine and clinked it together. "Here is to lives changing in a moment and not being able to do a Goddamn thing about it."

I clinked her glass again and downed the shot with her.

"How long did you know?" Angela didn't say anything.

I sighed, tugging my hair, and throwing my hands in my hair. "What am I supposed to do, why didn't someone tell me? I had the right to know!"

"Emmett, it wasn't for me to tell, and no one really knew who Emerson's father was. Bella came home during her fall break one year and was noticeably pregnant. A lot of people in town assumed some person in Seattle was the father. She never has said anything about Emerson's paternity, but all you have to do is look at him and then you have a 1 in 3 chance in figuring it out." Angela told me, while wiping down the bar top. "It's really none of my business, but Emmett, what are you going to do now that you know?"

"I don't know."

And I really didn't know. I found out an hour ago that I was a father, to a little boy who looked just like me. Same eyes, same hair, same dimples. I picked up my beer and took a long pull from it. I ran my hands through my hair trying to gather my thoughts.

_Why didn't she tell me?_

_Why hadn't she returned that night for dinner? Why the fuck did I still want her?_

That night had broken my heart. I waited for her, refusing to eat until Bella came. It wasn't like her to not show up when she said she would. I went to call her and saw that my cell was dead, so I had decided to drive over to her house. When I pulled up, I saw her standing on the back porch in the arms of another man. I sped away, leaving for Chicago the next day.

The sound of the door opening brought me out of my reverie. Lauren "Loud Mouth" Mallory had walked in. I think I heard Angela groan and Waylin sigh.

"Emmett Cullen, I heard you were back."

"I guess word travels fast in Forks, considering I didn't even know I was going to be back until today . . ." I trailed off, not wanting any more gossip to get around town. I swear, this town gossips more than two women over a game of bridge. I took another pull of my beer, trying to recede in my thoughts. We needed to figure out what to do now.

"So what brought you back to Forks?"

"Mom and Dad are back from Oxford, Edward is doing his residency here, and Jazz is helping Mom out at the firm. I guess I just thought I visit would be warranted. Chicago has nothing for me right now anyway. I have to go back for practice soon though."

_Well, maybe not, but Loud Mouth Mallory wouldn't need to know that juicy little nugget of information now, would she._

"I was so jealous when you moved out there with Rose. I have always wanted to see Chicago, go to a White Sox's game at Wrigley field . . ."

"I'm a Cubs fan personally, and the Cubs play at Wrigley."

There was an uncomfortable pause between us, and I prayed that she would take the hint and leave, but she didn't. God obviously wasn't listening to me today.

"Have you seen anyone else since you've been back?"

I quirked up an eyebrow. She was definitely fishing for information.

"Angela, obviously."

"That's it?"

"Cut to the chase Loud Mouth. I know you need some gossip to start spreading again . . ."

I heard Angela let out a loud laugh. Mike Newton, who had been sitting quietly at the end of the bar started chuckling as well.

"Damn Emmett, there is no need to be mean," she grumbled, ordering a fruity stupid drink.

"Well, it seems like everyone in this God forsaken town knew about my child!"

"Look Emmett, none of us really knew for sure. She came home for Thanksgiving, really knocked up, about three years ago. Everyone just assumed that she had gotten knocked up in Seattle. Then when he was born, he really didn't look like anyone, just like a baby with a bald head. But then when she came back a year later for Christmas, he really looked like a Cullen. Those blue eyes, that blonde hair with the curls . . . I figured he was either your kid or Jasper's with the way that Edward was with Tanya, but when Jasper got engaged to Alice, well, it had to be you. I didn't even figure, you had been with Rosalie for years. When did you guys get together?"

"We never got together!" I roared, angry about the entire situation.

"That's not what Rose said. She said she caught you guys before you left for Chicago. You should have seen her face when she saw Bella walking around the Safeway with Emerson right after he was born. She looked like she could murder someone . . ."

_Rose knew for years, and never bothered telling me!_

_That fucking bitch!_

"So, you and Bella?" I turned and looked at Mike Newton, who finally spoke.

I ran my hands through my hair, for the millionth time.

"So I was just wondering if you were finally going to take care of your kid . . ."

I spun around and threw my glass up against the wall, and it shattered into a million pieces, effectively shutting Mike Newton and Loud Mouth Mallory up.

"Emmett - calm down!"

I looked up and saw Chief Swan walking in through the door. His eyes were locked on mine.

"Look Son, I know that you just got the biggest shock of your life, but I'm not going to let you tear up Pops' place."

"I'll pay for the damages," I muttered, grabbing another beer from the bar. I didn't know whose beer it was, but damn if I didn't need the drink.

"That's not what I care about," Chief Swan muttered.

I set the glass down and stumbled outside, trying to get some fresh air, and to get away from the gossip. There was no way I could deal with it at the moment. I screamed, staring up at the sky, seeing the stars for the first time. That was a rarity in Forks with the cloud cover.

I fumbled around for my keys and finally dug them out of my pocket as I headed over to the rental. I needed to be back in Seattle to talk to Coach Rosenski at noon, and there was no way I was going to be able to go back to my parent's house right now.

"Emmett, don't drive." Chief Swan used his cop voice. "I don't want to have to arrest the father of my grandchild for a DWI. You won't be able to pass a breathalyzer with the five beers and three shots. I'll take you to wherever you need to go . . ."

"I doubt you want to use the cruiser to take me all the way to Seattle. I need to be there for something tomorrow morning . . ."

"So, I'll drop the cruiser up and grab the truck. I'll take you to Seattle."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because, at one point, I did know what you were feeling like. Renee kept Bella from me for years," Charlie told me quietly as I got into the front seat of the cruiser.

I looked at him, waiting for him to explain. I wasn't expecting that from him.

"Bella's mother," I could hear the venom in his voice when he started talking about the elusive Renee Dwyer, "kept Bella's existence from me for almost six years. I had no clue I was a father until I came home from work and there was Pops sitting with Bella on the front porch. Apparently my one-night stand with a waitress in Seattle had turned into something a lot more. I was angry with Renee for a long time about it."

Chief Swan spoke a little about the whirlwind romance with this waitress as he drove to the house. He traded cars off and started the hour drive to Seattle.

We were situated and on the highway when I finally decided to talk with him again.

"If Bella knew what this did to you, how could she do this to me?"

"Emmett, I'm not going to pretend that I agreed with my daughter's decision not to tell you. I asked her time and again to tell you, but she said that she tried right when she found out she was pregnant and then again when Emerson was born. I don't know what happened, but she did make an attempt."

"She didn't try hard enough!"

Chief Swan nodded, drinking his coffee.

"The point is now Emmett, is that you know. What are you and Bella going to do?"

"I don't know. I have a child with a woman that I haven't spoken to in almost three years. I don't know what we are going to do . . ."

I trailed off, leaving it at that. We drove the rest of the way to Seattle in silence. He dropped me off at The M, one of the hotels in our families arsenals. I trudged my way up to the suite and collapsed on the bed, finally being able to be alone with my thoughts.

**BPOV**

I stared at the door, and collapsed where I stood. He was angry, and I knew he would be, but I at least thought that he would yell at me, but never did I think that he would just be silent and leave. I would have preferred screaming and yelling over the silence. _Where the heck do we go from here?_

Tears were streaming down my cheeks, and I tried to get my breathing under control. I didn't want for him to find out this way. I always wanted to tell him before he found out accidentally, but that is what happened anyway despite all my good intentions. I never wanted to keep Emerson a secret from his family, _ever_. It just didn't happen like they way you read in the books.

"Mommy?"

I looked up and saw Emerson standing with Esme. He ran over to me, and placed his hand on my cheek. His green eyes bored into mine as he wrapped his arms around my neck.

"I'm okay Emerson, really. Mommy is just sad," I whispered in his ear. I stood, holding Emerson in my arms, swaying both of us gently for some comfort. He kissed my cheek and squealed as I handed him over to Esme. "Can you watch him while I freshen up, I'm sure that I look like a frightful mess right now."

"Sure Bella," Esme replied, taking Emerson.

"Meme, Emson hungwy . . ."

I shook my head, by the time he was a teenager, he would be eating me out of house and home. He must be hitting another growth spurt. That would be great, considering that Emerson had always been small for his age. He barely was on the charts for height and weight, and actually had lost weight during his last checkup.

I made my way down the hall and ran into Jasper and Edward.

"We didn't hear any yelling," Edward stated quietly. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, taking in a shuddering breath. "There wasn't any time for yelling. He saw Emerson and immediately put two and two together. Emmett didn't have to say anything, and he just ran."

"That fucker . . ." Edward muttered. "He is doing what he is always doing, running. He needs to learn to deal with things more appropriately."

"I'm sure he is in shock. I mean, come on Edward, would you take too kindly if you just found out you had a child who was almost two?" Jasper reasoned out.

"Geez, thanks Jazz . . ."

"I'm not saying it to hurt you Bella but honestly, I think we all are in a little bit of shock, but Emmett more so because Emerson is part him. The hard part is done Bella, now all we can do is wait for Emmett to accept it. He just needs some time."

I nodded. It wasn't going to be easy, and I wanted to know what was going on inside his brain, but that just couldn't be an option unless there was a resident mind reader around. After washing my face and running my fingers through my hair, I decided to go check on Emerson.

"I'm sorry, really, maybe I should just take him home . . ."

"Please don't Bella. I just pulled the chicken out of the oven and Emerson keeps talking about how hungry he is," Carlisle said.

"He's Emmett's son, he is hungry 75% of the time," I grumbled, causing Carlisle to laugh. "He's probably going to hit another growth spurt, which is going to cause me an arm and a leg in new clothes."

"The triples always got really hungry and ate all the time whenever they were getting ready to grow," Esme said wistfully.

"You know Ma, I hate it when you group all of us together like that, we are completely different people," Edward protested as he set the table.

Esme smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "Yeah, I know, but it's true, and it is quicker than saying all your names. So, who is going after your brother?"

"He needs time Mom," Jasper told her. "I'll try calling him after dinner, but if I know my brother, and I do, he is at Swan's drowning his sorrows."

"I'll go after him after we eat. He needs time to cool down," Edward said.

Esme nodded. "Just give him time dear." She placed her arms around my shoulder. "He will come around."

We took our places around the dinner table. Carlisle was sitting at the head and Esme was next to him, and I was next to her with Emerson on my lap. Jasper and Edward were sitting across from us. Carlisle smiled.

"Can we all say grace? Heavenly father, I would like to thank you for providing us with a plentiful meal today. Thank you for giving us the precious gift of family, and expanding our family tenfold. Emerson and Isabella are welcomed additions, and regardless of how they became part of our family, I thank you for it."

Esme squeezed my hand as Carlisle's soft grace continued.

"Please allow Emmett the strength he needs to stay safe as his season begins, and allow him what he needs to accept his new role in life. We ask this in all your name, Amen."

A soft murmur of amen was heard, and Esme started passing around the food. I looked around and realized that this is what we were missing in our life. Emerson needed this in his life, he deserved to have his father's family in his life even if Emmett couldn't be a part of it. I already knew that Jasper and Edward would always be a part of Emerson's life, and I was okay with that.

I started cutting up Emerson's chicken and started cutting up his veggies. I picked up the fork and blew on it for him, and when I was satisfied with the temperature, I gave it to him. He chewed and hummed in appreciation.

"It's yummy."

Esme smiled and laughed. "All I made was smothered chicken and broccoli . . ."

Emerson shrugged. "It's yummy."

I continued to feed Emerson and sporadically ate my own food. When becoming a mother, eating your food second is norm. Unfortunately, my food is normally cold by the time I get to eat it, but I still wouldn't change it.

Soon, Emerson's head was dropping, and he snuggled into my arms. It had been awhile since he had done this, and I relished the feeling of having my baby in my arms again. I laid him down on the couch and walked back into the kitchen to help Esme with the dishes.

I rounded the corner and heard them talking softly.

"Carlisle, I know that Emmett is hurting right now . . ." Esme trailed off. "He shouldn't have stormed out of here, he should have stayed and talked to Bella. What if she takes off with him and keeps us out of his life?"

"I wouldn't do that to you," I told her walking into the kitchen. "I watched you guys play with him in the park saw how happy Emerson was at dinner with you guys, I would never take that away from him. I already kept him from you for twenty months, I'm not going to deprive him of his family. He needs you guys as much as he needs Charlie and Jake. I don't know what is going to happen with Emmett and I, but he will be as much a part of your life as you want."

Esme smiled. "I know that Emmett will come around . . ."

"I wish I had your faith Esme, and even if he did come around, he lives in Chicago . . . I live here. I have Swan's to run. I don't know how it will work."

"Have a little faith," Esme said smiling.

"I wish I had your optimism."

I yawned and looked at the time. It was way past my bedtime, and it had been a pretty exciting day overall. Not at all what I expected when I woke up in the morning.

But then again, life never turns out the way you expect it.

**EmPOV:**

I woke up in a strange bed, staring at the ceiling.

_How the hell did I get here?_

Looking around, I realized that I had landed at _The M_. I glanced over at the clock and realized that I had just under two hours to get ready for my meeting with the coach and my agent.

Closing my eyes, I sat up, trying to get ready and to get my day started. I padded around, calling the front desk for some forgotten toiletries.

Let's be honest, it was the last thing on my mind was grabbing my bags as I ran out of the house.

A knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts. Answering the door, my father was standing there, holding my bags.

"Chief swan called this morning and told me where I could find you. I thought maybe you could stand for a fresh change of clothes and a toothbrush. Emmett, what were you doing home?"

"Couldn't I just show up?" I growled, taking my stuff from him.

"Of course, it's your home too. We just weren't expecting you . . ."

"That was blatantly abundant, seeing that you had Bella there with _my _son. The son I didn't even know was out there. How long did you guys know?"

"Only a couple of hours . . ." My father sighed. "We actually saw them at the park playing, and well two and two were quickly put together. I remember the way you were with her the night of your concussion."

"Why did she keep him from me?" I grabbed my hair, pulling it at the roots.

"That is something you and Bella have to talk about," Carlisle sat down on one of the couches. "You can't run from this Emmett. You are a father now . . ."

"Don't you think I know that? God Dad, anyone with two eyes could see that Emerson was a Cullen!"

"Calm down Emmett. All I'm saying is that there are things that you and Bella have to discuss."

"We should have discussed this when she found out she was pregnant! I could have . . ."

"Could have what Emmett? You were so far stuck in a drug addiction that when we got you to the clinic in England, you didn't know which way was up. What would you have done? You may have blocked out some of the bad times, but your brothers, your mother, and I all remember some of the things that happened . . ."

"I didn't mean to get addicted to prescription pain killers, and I haven't touched that shit in 30 months Dad."

"But if she did tell you everything, you would have gone back to using . . ."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. I never want that to happen to me again. I'm on the straight and narrow away from that shit now." I had to defend myself. Yeah, I spent three months addicted, which in retrospect wasn't all that long, and luckily rehab hadn't been grueling and the coach for the Bears still allowed me to play.

I got that second chance, and I didn't want to screw it up.

"I don't know what to do. I don't know how to be a dad."

Dad chuckled. "None of us know how to be a dad, son. Imagine becoming a father to three boys simultaneously. I was scared shitless, especially when we brought you home. Jas and Edward came home first, and then you three week later. You were so little, and you had to sleep on that mat that monitored your breathing. I slept in the nursery for a month. Kids, family, and life don't come with instruction manuals son."

I plopped down on the bed, and buried my head in my hands. "I'm so confused."

"I know Em. But you and Bella now have someone else to think about first. It will figure itself out son."

I nodded, looking at the clock. "Dad, I have somewhere I have to be in an hour. Do you have a couple of hours to wait around for me?"

"Sure. There is some business I have to take care of here, and I should see your Grandfather Whitlock while I'm here. I'll meet you back here at three. Then we can go back to Forks together and then you can repair the wall at Swan's for Bella."

I nodded.

A few hours later, I walked out of the restaurant with a new contract in hand, and a new start in life again. I was now the starting QB for the Seattle Seahawks . . .

I never expected to be coming home and leaving Chicago.

But then, life never turns out the way you expect it.

**AN: As always, review rock my socks. **


	5. Chapter 5

First off, sorry to everyone who thought this was a chapter. I apologize.

Okay faithful readers, I decided that I am going back and rewriting parts of the story. After having a child of my own, I realize that some of the reactions (or lack thereof) needed to be different. Emmett needs to be mad and angry at Bella, and it just wasn't going to work with the way I had him portrayed.

Next couple of chapters will be the rewritten portion. Also the length of the chapters may change only because of the kiddo. It's either short, more frequent updates or none at all. Sorry, its just the way life. is.

Hang in with me. I am not abandoning this story, or any of them.

Thanks,

USCFBFAN


	6. Chapter 6

**Safe Haven (Rewrite)**

**Prologue:**

**BPOV**

I wiped the bar top, staring out at the regulars at the Swans. We had just reopened after being closed for six months. I was going to sell Swans, but at the last minute, I just couldn't. It wasn't what Pops would have wanted, and I just couldn't part with this place. It held so many memories for me, and I know that that was true for many of the people in town as well. I couldn't sell, I just couldn't. So I packed up my tiny apartment in Seattle and moved Emerson and I back to a town I swore I would never set foot in again. It took months of cleaning and planning, but Swans finally opened back up, and was actually bringing in some decent business.

I looked over at the men who were lining the bar. There were some old faces like Mike Newton Sr. and Waylin - one of my dad's fishing buddies - but there were some new faces as well. Apparently when the Seattle Seahawks moved closer to Forks, it revived the small, dying logging town. The football players were snatching up land all throughout Forks, which lay about an hour from Seattle and thirty minutes from their newly built stadium.

It was a welcome revival for the town. I bet Esme Cullen was up to her eyeballs with clients now. I heard the Cullen clan was coming back after leaving a while back. Carlisle had gotten an opportunity to go to England for two years to teach at Oxford, and couldn't turn it down. His sabbatical was up now, and they were due to return at any minute.

Esme was taking back over her architectural company, Cullen Designs . . . which had been getting clients left and right now with the upturn of the economy here in Forks. She needed to resume being the face for the company, not Aria Banner, who was capable, she just wasn't Esme Cullen.

My stomach dropped thinking about the matriarch of the Cullen. I tried so hard not to think of them over the past couple of years, but every so often, the thought of them flitted across my mind.

_How could it not?_

"Bella?" A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts. A voice from the past.

"Bella . . . Bella Swan?"

"Alice!" Angela yelled from the table she was currently working on. She ran up to Alice, giving me a couple of seconds to compose myself.

_Did I mention how much I love Angela? _She knew almost everything and knew I would need a moment. Angela was keeping her busy for a moment, showing her the changes around while I pulled myself together.

_Don't lose it now. You just opened for the night._

Shit, Alice Brandon was back. I held my breath for a second, plastering on a smile for her. Maybe this would blow over fairly quickly . . . maybe she was just here for a visit.

I left the sanctity from behind the bar and greeted my best friend from high school. We had gone to separate colleges, her in New York and me in Seattle, but had always come back to Forks for the school breaks. Alice, in true Alice Brandon fashion, launched herself at me.

"Alice Brandon, I thought you were going to Paris and to make a big name for yourself in fashion. What are you doing back in Forks?"

_What the hell indeed._

"Plans didn't exactly go the way I thought they would go," she replied, and I could relate to that. She wiggled her left hand in front of me and I saw the sparkle of an engagement ring on her finger.

"Congratulations." I told her. Alice was truly an awesome person and she deserved all the best.

"Jasper and I are getting married in six months."

"Jasper as in Jasper Cullen . . . as in one of the Cullen Triplets?"

"I haven't heard them called that in the longest time, but yes, the one and only."

"But you two couldn't stand each other in high school," I told her puzzled. They were always going at it like cats and dogs.

"A rouse," she explained. "Typical for us. We saw each other last summer and just could keep our hands off each other. It's like it was always meant to be. Jazz is an architect with Esme now, and I came to see if Pops would hire me."

"My grandfather died about nine months ago." My voiced cracked thinking of Phillip Swan, the original proprietor of Swans. "Charlie and I originally closed Swans and we were going to sell it, but when push came to shove, I couldn't do it. I moved back from Seattle a couple of months ago to reopen and run the join. I couldn't let everything that Pops worked for just vanish, he loved this place and loved the people of Forks. Not exactly on how I planned on using my degree in psychology, but everything happens for a reason."

"I heard you guys are hiring . . ."

"Yeah, and I need a bar manager and front end manager." I looked over at Angela, who was shy and timid in high school, but now, she was one of the best bartenders that I have seen, she did the marketing side of Swans and when she was competent would be one of my managers. "Ange, watch the bar while I do an interview."

"No prob boss." Ange smiled as she wiped down the bar top, Waylon was sloshing beer again. So far it was just Angela, Tyler, and myself, but we were getting busy and needed more staff pronto.

She followed me into the office, which was truly a mess right now. I was the accountant, bar manager, general manager, etc. I bit off more than I could chew, but hopefully that would soon change. Swan's was bringing in more money, meaning I could hire more staff, and that is what I would do. I wanted and needed to spend more time with my son.

I smiled thinking about Emerson, he is all sunshine and pure boy.

Alice stopped, staring at the pictures on the bookshelf. I heard her take in a deep breath.

"No! No!"

_Shit, fuck, damnit!_ She saw the picture of Emerson and me at the park. I closed my eyes waiting for the little pixie to start yelling.

It never came.

"Is this why you suddenly dropped out of our lives three years ago?" Her voice was soft, but demanding and accusing. "I tried calling you, emailing you, but you just disappeared. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into years. I thought it was something I did, or didn't do. Then I thought you just got really busy with grad school, and made new friends, but I never imagined . . ."

"Alice . . ."

"Is this why when I went by Charlie's year after year to find you, he gave me the cold shoulder? The man I loved like a dad wouldn't tell me where my sister in everything but blood was. You didn't have to hide from me."

I took in a deep breath. "Alice . . ."

"Oh my God . . ."

I hung my head. "I was young and stupid. Scared. It's not how I planned my life. I just got accepted into graduate school, just found a small one bedroom apartment. Then I found out I was pregnant after a stupid night of drinking it up! One time, that's all it freaking took. It's not like I planned it, but I would never have gotten rid of Emerson, he's my life."

"His name is Emerson?"

"Emerson Swan . . ."

"Is Jasper his father?"

"No, Alice, I promise you, Emerson isn't Jasper's."

She let out a breath she had been holding, and truthfully, I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't have wanted to hear about my fiancé with another woman. Jasper and I had never hooked up, but flirted shamelessly with each other throughout the years. We were close friends after being made lab partners one year, but that was it. He was like a brother to me.

"All the Cullen boys were like brothers to me," I tried to tell her.

"Sure . . .he looks so much like the Cullen boys with the curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Are you telling me he isn't a Cullen?"

I wasn't going to deny or confirm, I just stayed silent. It was the same reaction I gave to all the townspeople when he started looking more and more like his father.

"So I know he isn't Jasper's, Edward or Emmett then? Man, the townpeople must be gossiping like crazy."

"Like you wouldn't believe," I sighed. "I haven't fueled any of the rumors. But yeah, Emerson is a Cullen." I finally confirmed after a year of speculation. When Emerson was first born, I could bring him here to see Dad and Pops in his bald headed glory, but when he turned a year old, he started looking more and more like his father every day. I couldn't hide it anymore.

"God Bella." She plopped down in her seat. I was trying to formulate something to say to her, to ask her not to tell her future in-laws until I had the chance to figure out something to tell them.

"I can't not tell Jasper. He is Emerson's uncle and he is back in town getting the old Cullen place livable again. Esme and Carlisle are coming home tomorrow. Edward is moving back after doing a stint in South America with doctors without borders for a year. Emmett is still in Chicago, but you know he is going to come visit his family."

"I know."

"Forks isnt't that big."

"I know."

"You have to tell them that Emerson is theirs."

"I know."

I sat down putting my head in my hands. I knew all this, but I just didn't know how to tell someone that after a one night stand that you got someone who wasn't even your girlfriend pregnant.

"Come over tonight before shit hits the fan."

I shook my head.

"Bella, you can't run from this forever."

"Yes I can. He's my son."

"He's my nephew!"

"If I packed up everything tonight and left . . ."

"I would stalk your ass down. I lost you once, and I'm not doing it again. I want my best friend back, and I want to meet my nephew."

"What if they reject us?"

"Have you met the Cullens?" Alice asked staring at me.

"I kept them from him for three years. I know how they are about family."

"Bella, you won't know until you tell them. Come over tonight for dinner, bring Emerson."

"Alice, I don't know."

"Just say yes."

I nodded minutely and that was all that Alice needed to jump at me, engulfing me in a hug.

"Let me run home and get ready. I'll see you in an hour."

I looked down at my watch and nodded. I needed to go get the kiddo anyway from the Res. Sue had taken Emerson there today to go fishing with his uncle Jake and uncle Seth.

Sue had been really supportive of me throughout the pregnancy and helped Charlie come to terms with the fact that his little girl had been "defiled."

Really, I was twenty-one and pregnant. I was scared and alone. When I called my mom she laughed and said the apple didn't fall far from the tree. _Thanks for the fucking support._ Then she said that I could just dump the baby with the father, just like she did with me when I was six. _Thanks for that anyway Ma._

I pulled up at the reservation by the lack and watched my son cast a line in the water with Jake. Out of the corner of my eye, Dad was walking up to me.

"Bells, I didn't plan to see you for a couple more hours. What's up."

"The Cullens are coming back."

"We knew that they were going to eventually come back. Aria Banner confirmed it a couple of weeks ago." Dad sighed.

"I know, but I thought I had a couple more months. I know that the building for the Seahawks training facility is breaking ground soon, and that land is selling like hotcakes around here . . ."

Dad looked at me knowingly. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Run."

"Not going to let you Bells. You need to tell them. Don't make the same mistakes that Renee made with you. I lost six years of your life Bells. I never supported your decision not to tell them and it is time to make things right. Past time to make things right. Why didn't you tell them before?"

"I tried," I yelled, letting the frustration get to me. "I tried," I whispered. "I called him a couple of time, and each time that bitch answered the phone. I am not going to let her be a part of Emerson's life."

"But he has a right to be a part of Emerson's life. No matter what happens Bell, I will be there to support you, backing you up with my gun and ready to shoot to kill, just tell me when."

I rolled my eyes, he had been looking for a reason to kill Emerson's dad for a while.

"So what do the Cullens coming back have to do with you coming to get Emerson early?"

"Alice found a picture of him at the office at Swans. She wants to meet at the mansion tonight so Jasper can meet his nephew. I couldn't refuse, and quite frankly, running just wasn't a real option. I was just throwing it out there."

"So he isn't Jaspers. A shame, I like him, have for years. The other two should have been in lockup for a while."

"Mommy!"

I braced myself just in time to catch Emerson, and swing him around. I kissed his chubby cheeks and brushed his curly blonde hair out of his deep blue eyes. He had a gigantic grin on his face covered in a blue, gooey substance. _Damn it Jake!_

"You were only supposed to be fishing, where did he get cotton candy from?"

Seth looked up sheepishly. "We took him to the carnival at Forks High earlier and then took him fishing. It was left over from the second bag."

I shook my head. The diaper bag was is the car, his sticky face was going to have to wait.

"Is my baby ready for dinner? You are going to meet some friends of mine . . ."

Seth and Jake both looked at each other, however Dad cut them off at the pass. Thank god for that man.

"Bells is going to be late if we don't let her get going now."

I sighed, wishing that I could put this off longer, but I knew that it was now or never. Time for life to change, again. I hoped it would be for better, and not for worse.


End file.
